Knowledge and Content Management with semantically enriched objects

The METOKIS project (1.1.2004 - 31.10.2005) investigated the use of semantic
web technologies for electronic publishing in knowledge-intensive subject
fields such as News Services, Education, and Clinical Studies. The project
results are a Semantic Content Model and software to handle these semantics-based
content objects, as well as a methodology for assessing the cost-benefit
and for planning the introduction of semantics-based content applications
in knowledge intensive organisations.

The Semantic Content Model is called KCO (knowledge content object) and
describes a standardised data structure based on a foundational ontology.
There is a defined methodology for specialising the model for new application
domains, described within the "Handbook on the Integrated Knowledge
Service Methodology".

The innovation of METOKIS lies in developing the above model together
with an architecture that allows the linking of content management with
semantic web technologies. The architecture is designed to enable the
re-use of KCOs in other content and knowledge management systems. To this
end, a middleware system was developed which enables the interoperation
of a federation of management nodes. Each node runs a server based on
the Knowledge Content Carrier Architecture (KCCA) and the nodes communicate
with each other using a http based protocol which we call kctp (knowledge
content transfer protocol) and which is based on the FIPA agent communication
language.

To summarise, on these pages you will learn about the data structure
of KCOs, about the architecture of the KCCA middleware and about extensions
to the foundational ontology DOLCE upon which the semantic structures
of KCOs are built. We also present three showcases in which we highlight
specific aspects of the KCO/KCCA model.

METOKIS was a fast-track, technologically ambitious 22-months targeted
research project exploring a novel convergent technology for knowledge
and content management. It went beyond the current state of the art in
Semantic Web by defining a common object model for semantically and structurally
rich multimedia content and by developing a technical infrastructure for
managing this novel type of "intelligent content". The project
was intended to impact on similar, longer term RTD activities primarily
through its practical results in terms of design and prototype implementation.
The METOKIS project has contributed to the strengthening of Europe's technology
basis in the fields of content and knowledge management, semantic web,
and methodology for advanced, knowledge and content-rich information systems.
METOKIS is one of the first finalised RTD projects of the 6th framework
programme, in the area of Knowledge Content Technologies (KCT), thus contributing
to our understanding of emerging trends such as the notion of "Web
2.0".